The tragedy
by Jemlela
Summary: Jem and the Holograms are away and tragedy strikes at home.
1. A tragedy occurs

Jem/Jerrica

Jem and the Holograms are performing at a concert in Paris. Danse is also performing at their concert. Howard Sands and Anthony Julian are also there they are working on a movie. The Holograms are dressed and ready for the concert when Synergy appeared in the room.

"Synergy what is wrong?" I asked.

"There is a problem at the house." Synergy said.

"What kind of problem?" Aja asked.

"We had a break-in." Synergy said.

"Oh my goodness, are the girls okay?" I asked.

"They are missing." Synergy explained.

"Missing?" I asked. "Are you sure? I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"I checked the house, they are not there." Synergy said.

I couldn't handle this not as Jem. "Please change me back into Jerrica." I asked Synergy.

When I became Jerrica again, I could let myself panic. "What are we going to do, how are we going to find them."

"We will find them. Don't worry Jerrica." Aja said, then went on. "At least Mrs. Bailey was with the girls. She will keep them calm."

"Actually Aja, Mrs. Bailey wasn't at home, when the break- in occurred. Lela was baby-sitting." Synergy told them.

I went into the other room to call the police and report the kidnapping. While I was gone there was a knock at the door, Howard, Anthony Danse and Rio came in the room.

"Where is Jem?" Howard asked.

"Jem left to pack." Kimber said.

"We had an emergency back home." Aja said.

"We think our Starlight Girls may have been kidnapped." Shana said in tears. Anthony came to hold Shana.

I came back into the room in tears. Rio comes over to hold me.

"Are you sure the girls have been kidnapped." Danse asked.

"There was a break-in at the mansion and now the girls are missing. Lela was baby-sitting." Aja explained.

"Maybe the girls are not missing. Have you tried to call them?" Howard said.

"We can't, because they won't answer the phone. The girls know that if there are no adults at home; do not answer the door or the phone." I said. I don't know how many times I have warned the girls about the door and the phone since I first started letting Lela baby-sit.

"Then you can't be sure that they are missing." Anthony said.

"I talked to the police. They are going to check the house and look for my girls. In the meantime we are going home." I told them.

"What about the concert?" Howard asked.

"We are not having the concert; the girls mean more to us then any old concert." Aja said.

"Alright you go and cancel your concert. I will get my plane ready to take all of us back to Los Angeles." Howard said.

"What about your movie?" Shana asked.

"We can put the movie on hold and help you find your girls." Anthony said.

"Thank you." I said.

"We will meet you at the plane." Aja said.

We got in front of their audience at our concert and told the audience that there will not be a concert because we have to go home and see about our missing girls. The concert promoter told us that when the girls are found we can come back with the girls and we will have the concert then.

We left Paris and went back home. When they got to the house, the police were there.

"Hi I am Jerrica Benton. This is my home. Have you found out anything about my missing children?" I asked.

"I am Detective Jones. It is definite that the girls are missing. The front door is broken. We will let you know when we find out any information." Detective Jones said.

The Holograms and I went inside to see Synergy. Synergy searched for the moment the girls disappeared. When she found it she played it for them. They saw the girls in the playroom when five guys in masks came in and grabbed the girls. One grabbed Lela with a knife, to keep the other girls calm. They other girls cooperated in fear that the one who has Lela will hurt her. The five men left with all twelve girls.


	2. The kidnapping

Lela

It is Saturday afternoon and I am baby-sitting for the others, while Mrs. Bailey is out running errands. Jerrica has always told me "Do not answer the door or the phone". The girls and I are in the play room. When all of a sudden Terri comes running over to me.

"I thought I heard something." She said.

All the girls are looking at me and expecting me to do something. "We will just stay in here for now. What ever the noise was will stop hopefully." I went to close the door to the playroom. We heard noises outside the playroom. The girls and I gather at the back of the room and I hoped that whoever it was will not come in here. Then the door opened and in walked five guys with masks on. They started coming at us, we separated so that they couldn't catch us. One guy grabbed me and held a knife to my throat.

"Calm down you girls or I will cut her throat." The man said.

I started to squirm, the other girls calm down really quickly in the fear that this guy will actually hurt me. The guys hand cuffed the girls together so it would be easier on them to make us leave with them. The guy continued to hold a knife to my throat as we walked out of the room and out of the house.

The guys loaded us into a van, the girls all cuddled with who was sitting near them. I tried to see out the windows to see were we were going, but I couldn't because the windows were to dark. We arrived at what looked like an old abandon house. They led us into a basement and locked the door. At least they unhand cuffed the other girls. I tried to keep them calm but I too was panicking. I looked around to see if there was a way to escape. The basement had a window to high up for us to reach. After a couple of hours, A guy with the mask on, came back into the room.

"You are coming with me." He said as he grabbed me and we left the room.


	3. The search

Jerrica

It was so hard to sleep last night without the girls here. Howard has offered to pay any ransom to get the girls back. I keep in constant touch with Detective Jones. He and his men are out looking for the girls. We all spent the night in the girls' rooms. I was in Lela room, holding her teddy bear I laid down on the bed. The one thing that kept going through my head was one of our songs.

_Love Will Show The Way (Jem and the Holograms)_

Hold on, I'll be there  
Love will show the way  
Take heart, don't despair  
Love will show the way  
Nothin' can keep me from findin' you  
Love runs too deep to not come through  
Love will show the way (Love will show the way)  
Love will show the way

Keep on trying cause  
Love will show the way  
Don't cry, don't lose hope  
Love will show the way  
Nothin' can keep me from findin' you  
Love runs too deep to not come through   
Love will show the way (Love will show the way)  
Love will show the way

Nothin' can keep me from findin' you  
Love runs too deep to not come through  
Love will show the way (Love will show the way)   
Love will show the way

While the song played in my head, I kept thinking about how the girls have grown up over the years. As I thought of them, I couldn't keep the tear away. They must be so afraid.

I go downstairs for breakfast. Mrs. Bailey had made breakfast for us. The table was empty; I can't get over the fact that the girls are gone. The doorbell rang, I ran to the door hoping that it is Detective Jones with news on the girls. It was just Howard and Anthony.

"Have you heard anything on the girls?" Howard asked.

"No, I wish there was, but there is not. They have been gone for over a day." I said.

"They will be back, you'll see." Anthony said.

"Hi, am I interrupting something." Detective Jones said as he came up behind Anthony and Howard.

"No, is there any news." I asked.

"No, there is something you are not telling me." Detective Jones said.

"Not telling you," I asked.

"We are going to go into the kitchen." Howard said.

"You said 'my girls'. You are so young and yet we are not looking for small children. We are looking for 12 girls of various ages. So what is it about the girls that you are not telling me?" Detective Jones asked.

"Come sit down. The girls are foster girls. My parent started a home for foster girls, when I was a child. After their death, I took over." I explained.

"All the kids' parents are they dead?" He asked.

"No. Some of them are dead. The others are in prison with no chance of seeing their child _**IF**_ they ever do get out." I told him.

"Could there be a possibility, that of one of the girls parents be the kidnapper." He asked.

"No, I checked with the prisons last night. They have not been released and are not up for parole." I said.


	4. The rescue

Jerrica

Another night passed. The girls have been missing for two days. So far, there has been no news on the girls. After lunch the phone rang and it was Detective Jones. I ran and found the others.

"Detective Jones thinks that he may have found our girls." I told them.

"That's great!" Shana said.

"When do we go to get them?" Aja said.

"Detective Jones is on his way to get us. Aja, why don't you follow in the van because we will need it for the girls?" I said.

Before I knew it we were on our way to get the girls with any luck. We arrive at what look like an old abandon house. If the girls are in that dump, I sure hope that they are okay. The cops went in and arrested the men that were in the house. Detective Jones came up to me after they were done.

"Ms. Benton if you will come in with me to come in and get the girls." Detective Jones said and then went on, "I don't know your girls and they don't know me. Besides if someone was missing I wouldn't know who."

Detective Jones and I went into the house to look for the girls. We found them in the basement, all the girls came running up to me. I hugged the girls and sent them upstairs to the other girls. I looked at the girls, someone was missing.

"Becky, where is Lela?" I asked.

"I don't know, she was here and then they took her away." Becky said.

"When was this?" I asked her.

"It was a couple of hours after they took us here and we haven't seen her since." Becky said.

"Okay, you go upstairs with the others and I will look for Lela." I told her as I hugged her.

Detective Jones and I searched for Lela. I went into a room and I heard crying coming from the other sided of the door. The door was locked so I got Detective Jones and we busted down the door. Lela was facing the wall on the bed shaking. I started to walk over to her.

"Please not again!" Lela cried.

"Lela, its Jerrica." I said as I walked over to her.

She turned around looked at me crying and shaking. She threw her arms around my neck. "Is it really you?" She asked.

I held her and stroke her hair. "Yes it's really me."

"I dreamed of you coming to rescue me." Lela cried.

"I called an ambulance, they are on their way." Detective Jones said.

"You called for an ambulance, why do we need ambulance?" I asked as I walked toward him.

"We have a case of sexual assault here. They need to do a rape kit plus we need the results as evidence. " He said.

"Evidence, we are talking about a fourteen year old who has been sincerely hurt. I don't want to put her through it." I told him.

I went over to Lela who was still sitting on the bed. "Did anyone touch you, or hurt you?"

Lela nodded, "He said if I didn't, he will go after one of the younger girls. I couldn't let that happen, so I agreed. I didn't say no, so it is not rape."

"It is rape; he did not give you an option to say no. That makes it rape, even though you did not say no. However, we do need proof of the rape to use against him in a court of law." Detective Jones said.

Lela and I left in the ambulance for the hospital. Aja and the others took the rest of the Starlight girls home.


	5. At the hospiatal

Lela

We arrived at the hospital, in the ambulance Jerrica held me. I couldn't look at anyone, certainly not Jerrica. Jerrica kept telling me that what happened wasn't my fault. I couldn't hear it; I blamed myself for being raped.

At the hospital, a woman doctor examined me. She explained everything she was going to do, before she did it. I lay on the examining table crying the whole time. The doctor didn't think that it would be a good idea if Jerrica was with me during the examination. When the doctor was done, Jerrica came back in and so did the cops.

The doctor said that they can't give me anything to stop me from ending up pregnant. I am outside the twenty-four period, since I was raped my first night and missing for two days. I just have to wait and see if I end up pregnant. Great I am only fourteen and I could be pregnant.

Jerrica held my hand and stroked my hair. Then she asked the doctor and the cops if I could travel. "Jem and the Holograms have a concert in Paris that they postponed to come home. We need to go back and we want to take all the girls to Paris with us."

"I think that would be a wonderful thing for her, as long as she rests as well." Doctor said.

"Paris would be a great distraction for all of the girls considering what they had been through. The girls will have to testify against the kidnappers. Lela will have to testify about the rape as well." Detective Jones said.

"I don't want to testify at all!" I cried.

"Go to Paris; don't think about the trial until the time of the trial." Detective Jones said.

"When you get back, we will set all the girls up with the counselor to help them through the trial and what they have been through." Doctor said.

The Holograms, the other Starlight girls, Rio, Danse, Anthony Julian, and Mr. Sands all showed up to pick Jerrica and me up at the hospital. From the Hospital we went to the airport and got on Mr. Sands private plane. We flew to Paris. I wish I could enjoy the flight but all I could think about was my rape and the possibility that I could end up pregnant. The only comfort I have knows that my kidnappers and my rapist are in jail. I just hope they fry for what they did to me.


	6. Paris

Lela

We had fun in Paris. I tried to forget what had happened to me, and it would have worked if I didn't have to worry about the possibility that I can be pregnant. The doctor and the cops want me to see a counselor, but I can't. I can't talk about it, its bad enough that I have to testify against my kidnapper and rapist.

Jerrica and the others took us sightseeing. They would not leave us alone for a minute. Since the last time we were alone, we got kidnapped from our own home, for a reason that we don't even know. While we are in Paris, Howard Sands is paying to have an updated security system installed.

While we were at the Eiffel Tower, Jerrica's phone rang. It was Detective Jones, the kidnappers plead guilty to kidnapping and the rape. We don't have to testify, that part is over, now we just have to wait to see what repercussions will come out of the rape.

"So it's really over." Terri asked.

"We really don't have to testify?" Becky asked.

"Yes it's really over and no you really don't have to testify." Jerrica said.

As we walked through the streets of Paris, Aja and Shana stayed on each side of me.

I don't know what happened, but of all of a sudden, I didn't feel so well. I didn't say anything as first. As we walked surrounded by people I collapsed. When I came to I was still surrounded by everyone. I must have only been out for a minute or two. I tried to stand up when Jerrica stopped me.

"Don't get up; we called for an ambulance when you collapsed. They should be here soon." Jerrica said.

I don't want another ride in the ambulance, but I didn't have enough strength to fight them on it. So I laid there and waited for them to arrive. Jerrica went with me in the ambulance and the rest of them met us at the hospital.

When we got to the hospital, they ran a lot of tests. I was not allowed to have any visitors except Jerrica, until they knew what was wrong and why I passed out. The doctor came in with my test results.


	7. From Paris to the Hospital

Jerrica

As we walked through the streets of Paris, I took the girls sight seeing. My sisters and I are not leaving the girls alone; it is going to be a long time before I let Lela baby-sit. One bit of comfort though, is that even though Howard is here with us, he is paying to have a new security system installed into the mansion. So that something like their kidnapping won't happen again.

On a good note, I got a call from Detective Jones. The kidnappers plead guilty, so there won't be a trial and the girls won't have to testify. That's good especially for Lela, she was not looking forward to testifying about the rape.

"So it's really over." Terri asked.

"We really don't have to testify?" Becky asked.

"Yes it's really over and no you really don't have to testify." I said to them, giving them a hug.

We walked a little further when all of sudden Lela collapsed.

"Oh my goodness" I said as I ran over to her.

She lay so still.

"Someone call for an ambulance please." I called to the people around me.

"I will do it." Howard said.

He left and then came back a few minutes later, "Alright it's done, they should be here soon.

Lela started coming to and tried to stand up, but I stopped her. "Don't get up; we called for an ambulance when you collapsed. They should be here soon." I told her.

We waited for the ambulance to come, when they did, they laid Lela on a stretcher and loaded her into the ambulance. I am going with them.

"Meet us at the Hospital," I called to the others.

When we got to the Hospital, they took Lela for tests and I waited for them to show up. Terri came running up to me and gave me a hug.

"How's Lela?" Delaree asked.

"I don't know, they are running some tests." I said to them.

As we waited I saw how scared my girls are for Lela.

A nurse came up,

"How's Lela?" I asked the nurse.

"They are taking her into a room; we have to admit her for now." The nurse replied.

"Can we see her?" Marianne asked me and the nurse.

"No I am afraid she can't have any visitors right now, except for you." The nurse said looking directly at me.

"You go; we will stay here with the girls." Aja said.

I went into see Lela she was barely awake. I just sat down in the chair next to her bed.

After awhile the nurse came in and we went into the hall to let Lela sleep. When she told me what Lela test results revealed. I thought I was going to be the one to pass out.


	8. Avoiding the truth

Jerrica

The nurse had to help me to a chair. I can't believe what she told me. I looked through the window of Lela's hospital room. She just lied their sleeping. What am I going to do? How am I going to tell her? I have to process this first. Maybe by talking it out with my sisters, we can figure out what to do. We have a concert tonight; I am going to have to postpone it until Lela is released from the hospital.

I went to the waiting room, where I saw my girls. Aja was reading to them. This made me smile. The girls are so happy and loved with us.

"How's Lela?" Howard asked when he saw me coming.

"Sleeping." I said.

"She will be alright won't she?" Ashley asked.

Time will tell I thought to myself. I can't tell my girls what wrong with Lela not just yet.

"Howard will you take the girls down to the gift shop please. Becky I want you to pick up some magazines for yourself and for Lela. You guys will need something to occupy yourselves while we are here." I said.

They left Rio, Danse and Anthony left with my girls. They will keep the girls safe. This left me alone with the Holograms.

"So how is Lela, Really?" They asked in unison.

I told them what the nurse told me. They were all shocked; they couldn't believe this was happening.

"Oh man." Kimber said

"Does she know yet?" Raya asked.

"No, I haven't brought myself to tell her." I said.

"Ms. Benton, Lela is awake and she asking for you." The nurse said.

"Go, we will wait for the girls to return." Aja said.

I left and went to see Lela, she was awake. She was connected to so many machines and an IV. The IV was putting nutrients and medication into her.

"Hi, Jerrica," she said, "when can I get out of here?"

"Soon," I said. More like I hope. Soon she will be released; we will do our concert and go home to LA.

"Jerrica, my stomach hurts. What is wrong with me?" she asked.

"If your stomach hurts, I will go get a nurse, so she can give you something for your pain." I told her. I was trying to avoid telling her, at least for now. Since she is a minor, the nurses won't tell her anything.


	9. The results

Jerrica

I know that it is time for me to reveal to Lela what is wrong.

"Lela I want you to listen to me very carefully." I said to her as I told her the results from her tests. She was shocked and hurt.

The results are that Lela has an infection in her right ovarian tube, but not just an infection, she **is** pregnant. The doctor can't treat her infection, while pregnant. They can give her medication for the infection that won't hurt the baby, but they **can't** take the baby now, because it can cause her infection to get worse. The worst part is that the baby only has a seventy percent chance at making it. The doctor can perform a c-section on her at about seventh and half months and possibly have to remove the tube at the same time. That is if she even makes it that far. Not only can Lela lose her baby, she can lose her life if the infection erupt the tube. Since her life is in danger, she will be in a wheel chair until she has the baby.

I held Lela as she cried in my arms. I still could not believe this was happening. The doctors were not sure if the infection came from the rape, the pregnancy, or something else entirely.


	10. Going Home

Lela

When Jerrica had told me what was wrong with me, I couldn't believe it. Since the rescue, I had been hoping that I wouldn't end up pregnant. Now I am pregnant and my baby could die. I have to carry the baby for as long as possible, not only do I run the chance of losing my baby, I also could lose my own life in the process because of my infection. On the up side though, the doctors are getting ready to release me. Jerrica says that we are going to go to Jem and the Holograms concert tonight and then fly home right afterwards. I can't wait to go home. I haven't been home since before the kidnapping. As I get ready to go Jerrica left to tell my sisters of what has been happening.

Jerrica

I am so glad to be taking Lela home tonight. She has rough road ahead of her, but she will not go through it alone. Now I have to tell my other girls what is wrong with Lela. I walk up to the waiting room and the kids are watching a movie on the TV.

"Girls come over here; I need to talk to you." I said.

I waited for the girls to join me. The Holograms and our friends also gathered around.

"What is it Jerrica?" Delaree asked.

"Did Lela die?" Ba Nee asked.

"No, Lela didn't die, but her health is in trouble." I told the girls.

I simplified as much as I could as I told them. As I was telling them the nurse brought Lela over so we could leave. The girls all rushed over to her to give her hugs and their support. Lela will have to see an obstetrician who specializes in high risk pregnancies when we get home. I probably will take Lela tomorrow afternoon to her, so that she aware of the situation at hand. During all the commotion I didn't notice Howard had left, until he came back and walked up to me.

"Hi, I made a few phone calls. First one to a friend who is going to set up the room downstairs that leads to the garden, up for Lela since she won't be able to get her wheelchair up the stairs." He said.

"Thanks," I replied.

"The second phone call I made was to my friend Crystal Drake. She specializes in high risk pregnancies. I told her all about what is going on with Lela. Crystal is going to come by the mansion tomorrow to check up on her. She also promised to as many home visits as she can. She had said that this will make it easier on Lela and the baby." Howard said.

I swear it was like he had been reading my mind. He also knew how to get things done quickly. I couldn't thank him enough for everything he has done for all of us. The concert was a smash and the proceeds were split between the Starlight Foundation and research in dealing with high risk pregnancies. By the time we got home that night. Everyone was exhausted, even though we had slept on Howard's plane. I was just glad to be home and that day was over. Now we just have to get through the next 7 months hoping and praying that Lela and the baby will make it.


	11. Back to the hospital

Lela

I was glad to be back home. Mr. Sands moved my bed downstairs to my new room. It overlooks the garden, and leads to the backyard. Dr. Drake comes by to see me often. I am ready to go back to school, but Jerrica won't let me. Jerrica has enrolled me in home school until I have the baby. I don't leave the house very much. Jerrica had gotten me a TV-DVD player.

I was lying on my bed doing homework when Jerrica came in.

"I got you a present." Jerrica said.

"You have already done so much for me." I said opening her present.

I couldn't believe it, it was a pink Nintendo DS Light and several games. Jerrica has never let us have any video games before. "You have better things to do with your time, then sit and play video games all day.

"What's this?" I asked.

"You have to spend the next 7 months in bed, because of the infection. I want to make it as easy on you as possible." Jerrica said.

Something was happening, I felt very weird inside. I was uncomfortable, but not much pain. I knew I had to tell Jerrica.

"Jerrica, I don't feel very well. I know something is wrong." I said.

Jerrica rushed me to the hospital. Dr. Drake met us there. I was rushed into test and then Dr. Drake admitted me. Jerrica sat next to me in my room.

"I brought you something." Jerrica said holding up the bag.

Dr. Drake came in, "I have a good news and bad news for you." She said.

"Let's have the good news first." Jerrica said.

"Good news is we have the infection under control. Bad news is we have to keep Lela here for a minimum of two weeks, while I treat the infection." Dr. Drake said.

I just looked up at her, I wanted to cry.

"Would you like to the baby?" Dr. Drake asked.

I nodded. A few minutes later, I was looking at my baby on the screen. It was an unbelievable sight. My baby inside my stomach was being reflected on the screen. Even though I got pregnant in the worst way possible, the idea of losing the baby is killing me. Jerrica stayed with me until visitors hours were over. I played my new game after she left.


	12. The present

Jerrica

A few months has passed. Lela has been in and out of the hospital all this time. Her birthday is in 6 weeks. Dr. Drake has scheduled her C-section to be the same day of her fifteenth birthday. The sooner Lela has the baby, the better off she will be. Dr. Drake is also going to remove her right ovarian tube at the same time.

Lela was back in the hospital, she gets to come home tomorrow. Lela is having a baby girl. With all the ultrasounds that she has to have, she learned the sex of the baby.

I took the younger girls to the baby store because Marianne's and Joellen's teacher is having a baby and they want to get her a present. We picked up a blanket.

"When is Lela going to register for the baby she is having?" Ba Nee asked.

Ba Nee's question caught me off guard. I leaned down next to Ba Nee.

"Sweetie, we don't know what is going to happen. Or if the baby will even survive." I said.

"Then you really believe that she will die." Terri said.

"No, it is just that we don't know what will happen." I said.

"By not preparing for the baby, it's like you are assuming that the baby will die." Ba nee said.

I could tell that I was not going to win this conversation.

"What is your return policy?" I asked the associate checking us out.

"90 days with the receipt and the packaging." The associate answered.

90 days the baby will be born before then.

"Okay. The next time that Lela is having a good day, we will bring her to register." I said.

"Can we come too?" Marianne asked.

"Of course." I said.

We then left and went to the hospital to visit Lela.


End file.
